The first flag comes down as the second flag goes up. Photo by Bob Campbell.

This is the original photograph by Joe Rosenthal. It was later cropped (see next picture) to become the photo we all know.

Here’s the second flag raising as seen in the the most reproduced photograph in the history of photography. Click here for film clips of the flag raising.

Here’s Rosenthal snapping a posed shot minutes after the second flag raising.

Four of the Flag Raisers (Bradley, Hayes, Sousley & Strank) appear with their jubilant buddies. Strank, Sousley and many of these boys would soon be dead.

“In that moment, Rosenthal’s camera recorded the soul of a nation.” – Editors of US Camera Magazine. “It was like shooting a football game. You never knew what you got on film.” – Joe Rosenthal, Photographer

348 thoughts on “The Picture – Iwo Jima Photos”

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I understand that the photographer has several prints made and handed them out to servicemen. My Dad says he has one. I’ll see him this weekend and see what else I can find out but does anyone know if there were prints handed out around that time?

My Uncle was in this picture and he has a Japanese Flag with the autographs of everyone in the picture. He told us many years ago and it wasn’t until he passed away that we found the flag. He was a wonderful man but bore the emotional scares of this battle until he died.

I understand that the photographer has several prints made and handed them out to servicemen. My Dad says he has one. I’ll see him this weekend and see what else I can find out but does anyone know if there were prints handed out around that time?

Iwo Jima veterans are working to have a US Navy warship named for the flag raising photographer Joe Rosenthal. You can learn more about him and the photo, and sign the petition at http://www.USSJoe.org.

My dad was with the 23rd Regiment F Troop 2nd Platoon of the 4th Division. At the
time of the flag raisings, he was on duty at Airfield #2. He said that the flag raising
was viewed in the distance and a roaring cheer went up from his fellow marines.
His name was William Frederick Morgereth.

I believe my father is the second from the right in the back, William Francis Twiss, originally from Jamaica Plain (Boston) MA. He died at age 75 in 2004. He told us that he was in the 5th division and knew all the men that raised the flag. He said that he was in a picture at Iwo Jima. He also told us the story of how the first flag was too small and he suggested to the lieutenant to get a bigger flag off one of the ships, and the lieutenant sent someone else to go get it. All but one of the flag raiser’s died in battle. The survivor was of American Indian decent. My Dad was also a flame thrower and got a Purple Heart on the island of Tinian. Very proud of my Dad and lucky he came home!

Appreciate your Fathers service, but he wasn’t in either flag raising, second from right in famous photo is Franklin Sousley, Hill Top, Kentucky. Three were killed in combat on Iwo, Mike Strank, Harlon Block, and Franklin Sousley. Three survived, Rene Gagnon, Howard Schultz, and Ira Hayes.

I actually contacted James Bradley, John “Doc” Bradley’s son and author of “Flags of Our Fathers”, about this a few weeks ago. He was enigmatic about it, and, in a short, pithy statement, in essence, accused the government of holding up the lie for the sake of civic expediency. It begs a host of questions to which I didn’t get any answers. It also throws doubt on the integrity of John Bradley, like, if he knew he wasn’t the flag raiser, why did he go along with it all? I am pretty sure I know the answer which is too long and drawn out to explain here, but was disappointed son James didn’t answer the question. I believe James felt betrayed by his father and is bitter about the real story, but I see no dishonor in what I believe happened and why the Marines of the unit he served never revealed the truth. If you read Flags of Our Fathers, you will get a better understanding. Doc Bradley was wounded on Iwo, and was a Navy Cross recipient as a result of that wound. No one wanted to leave their unit to go on that dog and pony show bond drive. Bradley was the logical choice. I have no doubt his Marines, with the approval of the bond drive organizers, urged him to go in place of Shultz’, and I am sure Bradley agreed for their sakes–in essence, took the hit for them. So, what appears to be a lie on the surface, was in essence an honorable action on Doc Bradley’s part. Unveiling the mystery of Harold Shultz should now be the focus of research.

Yes it is Ron. On the back of one of the pictures he wrote to my Mother, “this is what I am doing now.” I actually got in trouble in grade school for telling the teacher I had these pictures and that my Uncle Joe posed for this. My Mother had to bring the pictures to the principal’s office.

The Marine on the far left raising his helmet was Johnny Owens. Johnny lived in South Bend IN, he owned a small business selling supplies to tooling shops in the area.
He was a fiery guy and had great stories of being there. He said he was the first Marine to step foot on the main airstrip and the Japanese sent a man out to patrol hoping that the Marines would fire on him, that way they would know exactly where the Marines were located. HE said it took all he had not to shoot that guy but he knew what would happen.
He frequented our shop quite a bit and we would often have Japanese customers from Toyota, Honda… he would just scowl at them and say under his breath…”sonsofbitches” we would laugh but we understood his sentiment.
he passed away several years ago… a great guy!

Can anyone tell me who the second man from the left is who has someone raising a rifle behind him? I believe it is my uncle, Vernon “Bunk” Bush. He has passed but I would like to find out if this is he in the photo of the first flag raising. Thanks,
Andy

My mother showed me an original picture of the flag-raising when I was younger. It came out of my Grandfather’s footlocker along with numerous other WWII artifacts. I was wondering if it would possibly be worth anything? I’d hate to part with it but I am a struggling veteran and really need the funds. If anyone has any idea how I would approach the sale of something like that please help me out. Onedeltakck@outlook.com
SGT Mullen

I have been told my dad was one of the marines in the posed picture. He was left handed and it looks like he is holding his rifle with his left hand. Can you confirm this? His name was Richard Estabrook. He was in contact with the group of guys that had been there before he died.

The picture with the 17 men and the flag…does anybody have names on all these men?…particularly the 5th man from the left? ??….my email is caseebeths@yahoo.com. . Can someone contact me with information please.

The bottom man, putting the flag in the ground is Elbert Warden Hinkle, my Uncle Joe. I have the original pictures he sent to my Mom. It has pictures of them posing for Felix de Weldon, the scultper. They posed in a driveway between two houses. I also have a picture of Felix taken with the finished sculpture. I contacted the Felix de Weldon mucsem. They told me no pictures were taken at the time and they were fake. ” hdson21@yahoo. Com”